HealthiPaws

St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School, Queensland - Primary School

100 words description

An estimated 200,000 children are admitted to children’s hospitals in Australia every year. Most children have no relatable experience of hospital and can cause them to be fearful and anxious. Dogs used for therapy can reduce these symptoms. Almost 2 in 5 households own a dog. Currently, Australia does not have a service that connects volunteer dog owners to children in hospital to provide a therapy dog service. The HealthiPaws App is a national app that connects local volunteer dog owners to families of sick children to improve mental health for children in hospital – helping them to get better.